A Knight, A Witch, and a Prince
by strawberryTala
Summary: Yuzu, a wandering Knight, is asked by the kingdom of Synchria to rescue their kidnapped Prince from the evil Witch who has kidnapped him. She accepts the task, but soon discovers the situation may be more than it first appears.


Been a while since I put up something new, huh? This is something I originally wrote for Rarepair Week, but I didn't manage to finish it in time, so here it is! It was fun to write and was quite good to get me back in the groove again ^^

Hope you'll enjoy!

* * *

Yuzu looks at the gangly, twisty woods in front of her. The trees were dark, not the usual bark she was used to seeing, thicker and almost blue in colour, the leaves a dark emerald on its branches.

No sound came from the depths, no bird song or scramble of animals. Only the wind whizzing through the trees, creating an odd howling sound. Even though it was a bright day, the woods seemed to almost zap out any light from the sun above. The crooked branches cast eerie shadows on the grass.

Hand tightening around the hilt of her sword hanging at her hip, she took a deep breath, gathered her wits, and walked closer.

The air grew cooler as she approached, almost like the chill came from the woods itself.

She stopped at the very edge of the trees, waiting. For what she didn't know. Maybe for some monster to pop out from behind the trees and attack her? Or for thorns to suddenly sprout from the ground, blocking the entrance and her path forward.

For a place known as the Witch's Woods, she wouldn't put it past it.

Beyond the wall of trees, the grass was darker compared to the lush green outside. She stepped through the trees and into the gangly forest, shadows casting over her body and light armour.

* * *

_The country of Synchria was one Yuzu had wanted to visit for a long time now. It's often talked about technology fascinated her and their rumoured wildlands and planes called to her._

_It was a long trip, but as she stepped foot in the capital, she found it already to be worth it. It's tall buildings and slim pillars, curving upwards to the sky. The stonework was beautiful, the most stunning buildings decorated with delicate metalwork and shining stones._

_She had made her way to the nearest inn, booked a room and ordered a meal. After finishing eating, she sat in place at her table, nursing her drink and listening to the people talking and mentally going through what supplies she would need. It was then her ears caught the conversation of a group of half-drunk men sitting at a table a little ways from her._

"_Have you heard? Seems the young prince is missing."_

"_What? How on earth could that happen? There's no place here with more security than the castle!"_

"_It's nothing but nonsense, the prince rarely makes appearances to begin with, who's to say he's suddenly missing?"_

"_After the death of the King and Queen, we've rarely seen him."_

"_No no, rumours say he's been kidnapped!"_

"_Now that's crazy talk. You think the lords and knights would allow that to happen?"_

"_You talk as if the knights care about protecting the people. Maybe they were too busy strutting around town to babysit!"_

_They erupt into laughter as the conversation fades into another topic._

_Yuzu looks thoughtfully into her mug._

_Now that she thought about it, she knew very little of the royal family of this land. All she knew was that the King and Queen died many years ago and their sole heir had been too young to succeed the throne at the time, so the council and advisors had been running the country since._

_She did, however, know that Synchria had need of their royal family. For what, she wasn't sure. Some said it helped keep their magical barriers working, keeping monsters out of the town. Others claimed they could turn regular pebbles into gold and jewels, keeping the country rich and powerful._

_That last one Yuzu had doubted ever since she heard it. Once she caught sight of dirty children in ragged clothes running around the streets and alleys, she became more certain it was ridiculous. Then again, the wealthy could be keeping it to themselves._

_Either way, it didn't concern her. Yuzu was a wandering knight, she helped where she could and when she was asked, but matters of royalty and politics were a bit out of her league, to say the least._

_Deciding she had done enough listening in for tonight, she rose from her seat and trecked up the stairs to her room to turn in for the night._

* * *

The woods weren't as dark as she thought they would be. They were definitely confusing, however. Yuzu was sure she must have walked in circles by now, and was she a stupid person she would have cut markers into the trees. But nature must be respected, especially woods like these that had veins of magic swirling inside them.

Pissing off magical woods was a mistake she would not do twice after the first time it happened. Yuya still wouldn't let her forget it.

Her sword was still sheathed at her side, but she never let her hand stray away from resting on it. She'd rather not invite hostility if she could help it, but she was also not stupid enough to not keep a hand on her sword in these woods. The intricately carved hilt made to fit perfectly in her hand was comforting under her fingers.

The grass was soft under her boots as she walked. She could even spot a few flowers here and there where sunlight peeked through the branches, even though they weren't covered in leaves. Now that she was further in, she could see the tree trunks were starting to have vines with thorns growing on them.

Digging in her pocket, she pulled out a blue pendant shaped like a teardrop. Even in the shade, it seemed to give off a small glow. It hung from a simple silver chain, dangling from her hand as she moved her arm in front of her.

She stopped as the glow increased slightly when she held it ahead and to the left.

Wrapping the chain around her wrist and hooking it into place, she started walking in that direction.

* * *

_Yuzu took in the room she had been brought to. It was fancy, decorated with plush carpets and thick curtains, the walls an intricate design mixed with metal and normal wood. The two pair of sofas looked overly gaudy, sitting near the large windows and showering them in sunlight._

_Honestly, being brought to the castle for defeating some mere robbers was about the last thing she had expected. She wondered what on earth they wanted with her._

_Her eyes ended up drawn to the two big paintings hanging on the wall, curtains and big vases of flowers sat on either side of them. On one, a man and a woman were depicted, standing and sitting respectively. The woman's bright blue eyes stood out against an otherwise stony face, showing a kindness inside. The man stood straight, one hand resting on the back of the chair the woman was sitting in, his bright blond hair standing out against his dark clothes and eyes._

_On the other, there was only a single boy depicted, yet Yuzu found it to be the one hardest to pull her eyes away from._

_He sat on a chair, similar if not the same one that the woman sat in, hands resting on the armrests. He was dressed in white, a splash of blue in various shades peeking out across his prim clothes. His blond bangs were braided over his forehead and back to his ear, blue hair pulled back behind his head. It left a sole, long and thick lock of hair to frame the left side of his face, curling slightly at the end. Then there were his eyes, a light blue so bright you'd think the painter had planned to paint the sky. She wondered if his eyes were really that blue in reality._

_A click sounds out in the quiet room and she turned to see the double doors opening. Two guards stepped through, holding the doors open to let an elderly man inside. He was walking with a cane, wearing white robes that were only a shade lighter than his hair. The man smiled at her as he approached._

"_Greetings, young lady, thank you for coming here. I am a member of the Council of this land. My apologies if I've made you wait long."_

_Yuzu bows. Best not to be rude to what was clearly a person of high authority. "Not at all. It's an honour to be called here."_

_The smile widens. There was something not fully honest about it. "Good, good. Please, sit. I have something I would like to discuss with you."_

_Yuzu quirks an eyebrow, but sits down on one of the couches, removing her sword from her waist but keeping it on the side that wasn't facing the guards. You can't be too sure. She leaned it against the couch._

_The old man is already seated, the same smile still on his face. "Firstly, I would like to give you my thanks for stopping the thieves in the market."_

"_No need to thank me, I simply did what I believed to be right."_

_A laugh. "A knight who can't turn a blind eye away from injustices, how wonderful."_

_Yuzu smiles politely. "Excuse me for being so forward, but, why exactly was I called here? It surely can't be just to be thanked for stopping a robbery."_

_The old man closes his eyes. "Right to the point, I see. That is fine too." His eyes move towards the paintings. "I assume you've noticed the portraits displayed here?"_

"_Yes, they're very lovely."_

"_The man and woman depicted are our deceased Queen and King."_

_Yuzu tenses just a little. She had guessed, but then, "So the boy is…"_

"_Yes. He is our prince." The man turns back to her, smile still present but smaller now. "His parents passed away when he was merely three years old. Despite being around your age now, he is still too young to rule, nor ready for what the role would entail."_

_Yuzu frowns, feeling sympathy form in her heart. Being left without your parents at such a young age, and being royalty to boot… she couldn't imagine the boy would have had a very idyllic childhood._

_But that still didn't explain why she was here. Did they want to hire her as a bodyguard? She had been offered that before, but she had always refused._

"_So, for what reason did you call me here, then?"_

_The smile turned into a frown. "Actually, there is something we would like to request your help with."_

"_My help?" Yuzu asks, surprised. Don't they have guards to do any work they could need her for? Why trust a stranger like her with anything regarding their royal family?_

_The man rises slowly, walking over to the large window overlooking the town. His gaze travels beyond the buildings and to the dark bundle of trees and mountains in the far distance._

"_Have you heard tell of the Bell Witch?"_

_Yuzu frowns, combing her memories for where she had heard the name last. She perks up as she remembers. "You mean the witch whose arrival is always announced by the ringing of bells, who controls the wind and frost?"_

_The old man nods. "To tell you the honest truth, about two months ago, our prince was abducted."_

_Yuzu holds back a surprised gasp. "Abducted? By the Bell Witch?"_

_The man looks back at her with a frown, "You catch on quick. We had caught her trying to approach our prince before and warned him to stay away from her, even increasing his security. But one night, bells started ringing in the night, harsh winds and sudden frost distracting our knights. When guards ran to check on him, he was gone, the open, frosted over windows the only hint of where he could have gone."_

_Yuzu screws her face up in thought, absorbing the information. Witches or dragons wanting their hands on royalty wasn't unheard of, it sounded very much like a usual affair. But, something felt off…_

"_I'm sure you wonder why we have waited so long to retrieve him," the old man says, walking back to sit back down on the couch opposite of her. "The truth is, none have been able. They have all fallen to the magic in the forest the witch lives in, or to the culprit herself. Her power is not to be underestimated, and all attempts to negotiate have been ignored."_

_Yuzu's hands smooth over her light blue tunic. "So, you would like me to do it."_

"_If you want to refuse, we won't blame you. This is a dangerous mission after all, but one that must be completed at all cost. The royal family has a special power this country has need of, and we have no idea if our prince is being hurt during his captivity." The smile comes back. "Of course, if you succeed, the reward will not be slight."_

_Ah, there it was, the hook. Defeat a witch, save a prince, get rewarded for your bravery. Sounded like a standard story fare. While Yuzu loved a good story, she'd still rather avoid getting caught up in this kind of mess._

'_But', she thinks to herself, eyes straying over to the portrait of the boy. Even in a painting, through the brush strokes he almost looked lonely. 'If no one really has been able to get there yet… I can't just leave without doing something.'_

* * *

One minute, Yuzu is walking through the forest and up the mountain path, slowly making progress. The air had grown chiller the further she went, the trees turning larger and more curved, twisting around and up boulders and cliffsides.

Then, a hard shiver runs down her spine and a feeling of trepidation shoots through her. Yuzu whirls around, spots the icicles heading straight for her and dives to the side.

She rolls once over the ground and finds her footing, eyes shooting up to her attacker.

Through the thrown up dust, she makes out a pointed hat and a green cloak, billowing around the figure. They were standing on top of a large boulder, a wand that looked like it was made of pure ice glinting in the weak sunlight, pointed right at her.

Slowly, Yuzu gets up to her feet, hand wrapped securely around the hilt of her sword. Her eyes never leave the figure.

"Huh, you actually dodged that," they say, sounding almost impressed. The voice was female, and had an odd sort of ringing chime echoing behind the words. "Better than most of the other idiots who dare to come here."

Yuzu shifts to stand steadier on the ground, a smirk forming on her lips. "Lucky I don't consider myself just anyone, then."

They pause, before a chuckle rings out, muffled behind a hand. "A joker, huh?" They hop off the boulder, drifting down to the ground like they were light as a feather. When she looks up, Yuzu is momentarily struck by their eyes, like two topaz jewels that looked like they were glowing. Messy hair the colour of leaves on trees in the summer peek out from under her blue hat.

She was young. Much younger than Yuzu expected. Powerful witches was usually older, or seemed older than their appearance, but the well-versed could tell by the air around them. This girl didn't appear much older than Yuzu herself, around the same height and build, though it was hard to tell under the cloak and bell-shaped skirt she wore.

Did the knights really lose to a witch this young?

The girls eyes narrow, lip drawing back in a snarl.

"Don't you know the likelihood of you leaving this place alive is so small…_ little Miss Knight?_"

Her voice and expression turn almost vicious at her last words, before waving her wand sharply. Yuzu's eyes dart down to her feet when she hears cracking, and sees the ground under her is suddenly frosty. _'When did she-'_

She cuts her thoughts off by throwing herself to the side again, just as the space she had just occupied is filled with spikes made of ice, sharp enough to pierce her body should they hit. They shatter with a loud crack, pieces flying out at Yuzu and hitting her straight on as all she can do is duck and shield her face.

A laugh sounds out, tinkling slyly like bells playing in a spring breeze. Yuzu snaps her head up to see the witch smiling mockingly at her.

"Was it too cold for you, oh brave and powerful Miss Knight?"

Yuzu growls as she gets up to her feet, shaking off the bits of eyes lingering on her. Some had started to freeze on her, a fact she files away. She drew her sword from its scabbard and dashes forward, ground crunching under her feet, and draws her arm back to slash down horizontally.

A loud clang rings out in the charged air.

Yuzu's sword trembles as she fights to push it down. The witch's arm shake, blade held back by the metal guard on her upper arm, wand gripped in her hand unable to move and hunched back from the force of Yuzu's blow.

The witch smirks even as her face is strained from the exertion. "You're not lacking in strength, at least."

Yuzu returns the gesture, arms starting to strain. "Never met a witch who stops a sword with their arm."

"The armour does a lot…!" Her voice rises in volume at the end as she suddenly steps back and to the right, making Yuzu stumble forward, eyes wide.

The witch's wand glows as it charges up for another spell. The light reflect off her blade as she swings her sword up towards her opponent, hilt starting to glow a soft pink.

_**BOOM!**_

Yuzu lets out a shout as she's blown back, skidding on the rocks and hitting a tree trunk hard. She groans in pain but quickly fights to get back on her feet. The witch was in a similar position, teeth grit and holding her arm. Blood dripped from between her fingers.

Yuzu held her sword in a ready position with both hands, not taking her eyes off the girl. Her shirt is torn and a little bloody in the front where Yuzu's sword had struck her, but it didn't seem to bother her much.

Then, the hand not clasping her wand rises, holding something. The object dangles from her fingers and catches the weak rays of sunlight, like a drop from the sky.

Yuzu tenses, flexing her hand quickly. The pendant was gone.

The witch laughs, swaying the chain. The crystal was still glowing, reflecting off the witch's arm guards and long sleeves. "Walking around with this so openly, are you stupid?"

Yuzu glares, grip on her sword tightening. "If you know what that is, you should know why I'm here!"

The mocking smile disappears, replaced by a frown. Her lip curls up as she pockets the pendant. "To take back the oh so beloved little prince, was it? Do you know just how many have come here trying to do that exact same thing? It's getting annoying, kicking you all out of my woods."

"If it's such a bother, why not return him then?"

The witch's eyes turn cold, face becoming icy cold and stony. "No. He's mine now."

Then she moves again, winds that felt sharp enough to cut blew up around Yuzu, almost blowing her clean off her feet. She suddenly got a very clear image of what had happened to a lot of the people who had come here trying to defeat her.

Well, Yuzu wasn't one to say no to a challenge.

Crouching close to the ground, eyes sliding closed as she concentrated. Her sword sparked, light swirling around the edges and up her arm.

The blade sang, and Yuzu's blue eyes snapped open. With a yell, she swung it, the blade almost growing longer like flowering vines.

She sees the witch's eyes widen before the air explodes in light and petals.

The area clears. The ground is covered in ice, and the witch lands on top of a stone, looking more tousled than before and glaring down at her, mocking look gone from her eyes.

Yuzu smirks. It's the type of look that recognises her as an opponent.

She stands up again and readies her sword. This looked like it was going to be a long fight, and it filled her with an odd excitement.

* * *

"_Take this with you."_

_Yuzu lets the guard who had escorted her to the borders place something in her hand. It felt slightly cool against her bare fingertips. When she picks it up to look at it, she finds it's a chain of silver, one end having a small hook and the other had a round, drop-shaped jewel wrapped in silver. It was light blue, it's depths almost glowing in her palm._

"_What is this?"_

"_That will lead you to the prince. Just follow the glow and you will find him."_

_Yuzu holds it out in the direction of the forest. The pendant starts to glow a little._

"_Handy." At least she wouldn't be running completely blind._

"_Take care not to lose it. It's very precious and hard to produce."_

_Somehow, the way the man said that made something coil uncomfortably in her stomach. But she didn't have time to think of it now._

_Pocketing the stone safely for the journey, Yuzu starts her trek towards the looming woods in the distance._

_She would definitely bring the prince home._

* * *

Further away from the girls' battlefield, nestled between cliffs and large, old willow trees, there was a clearing of flat ground. Once you passed the gangly, dark trees and broke through, you would find green grass and a temperature that was less biting and unwelcoming and more refreshingly chill. The wind still blew, but it too was less harsh in it's journey between the trees and cliffs.

In the middle of it all, there sat a small castle. The stone was pure white like freshly fallen snow and the roofs a pale, minty green. The trees towered over the building, leaves rustling in the wind and against the roofs and walls. Next to the castle, there was a lake. The calm surface only disturbed by the occasional leaf falling into the water.

The calm was disturbed as, seemingly out of nowhere, a blast sounded out, cushioned as it was by the cliffs and trees. Even so, it was not enough for the sole occupant currently in the castle.

They jumped at the noise, almost dropping the jars they were sorting. Carefully putting them down on a table, they peered through the glass and out the window of the room they were in.

For a while, they stood there, thinking and fidgeting. Until they turned, picked up a cloak, and hurried off to the front gates.

She didn't know for how long they had been fighting. After enough slashing at the quick figure, dodging and cutting ice aimed at her, deflecting storms and pushing through the pain and aches in her body, she lost track.

It was a rare feeling, enjoying a fight. Power was a necessity needed if she wanted to travel the world safely, if she wanted to protect the things dear to her. It hadn't ever been something she thought to find fun when she started out. But feeling herself progressing and be able to do things she never thought before was thrilling. Going up against a tough opponent and emerging victorious was a feeling like nothing else.

Facing off against someone off near equal skill and power was rare, but the witch seemed to be just that.

With her vision swimming, heavy breaths coming out as small clouds and blood dripping down onto the frozen ground, she started to lose the sense of her surroundings.

Her opponent was dazed, hunched over and clutching her bleeding shoulder, so Yuzu took advantage of the opening, and charged.

The witch realised, just barely in time, and dodged with only a gash to her shoulder, falling to the ground with strong winds following after her almost on instinct.

The winds lift Yuzu, making her fly further than planned. She lands, feet skidding on the ice covered ground and making her slip. Suddenly, there was a cliff. She couldn't make out the ground.

The ground disappeared under her, air whooshing loudly around her ears as the ground approached rapidly. Then everything went black.

* * *

The first thing she noticed was that everything hurts, body aching in ways it hadn't in a long time. Even the super rough training she had gone through under Miss Asuka hadn't been this bad. The whole right side of her body felt like it was burning and pulsating from pain, especially her shoulder and the side of her stomach. It felt like something had ripped it open. Someone groaned, it might have been her, she wasn't sure.

Someone started talking, too muffled for her to make out what they were saying through her clogged ears and pounding head. Another answered, again too muffled to make out, but it sounded louder.

Then, something brushed against her side, faintly at first then the area where the pain was the worst was covered by something warm and solid. A hand, maybe?

Slowly, a refreshing coolness spread out, from her skin and further in, and the pain lessened, turning from a piercing agony to a dull ache. She felt herself relax considerably into the softness she was laying on, the tenseness in her body having gone unnoticed until it was gone. As her shoulder got the same treatment and the pain spreading from it down her arm and up her neck lessened, Yuzu tried to force open her eyes.

Once she got them to focus, she could make out a stone ceiling above her, lit by what she assumed to be the evening sun.

Yuzu comes to slowly, mind dragging itself back from unconsciousness and to the living, chugging into motion slowly as it recalled what had happened last she had been awake.

Right, she had been fighting the witch. And then... she fell. She fell of a cliff. Thanks to the witch's gust of wind. And had obviously lost consciousness thanks to it. So where was she? Was she back at the village? Or had someone else found her?

"Are you okay?"

Yuzu turned to the voice, having forgotten there were others in the room for a moment.

A familiar, but still very dazzling, pair of blue eyes the colour of the sky was looking down at her.

Yuzu blinks in confusion as her rattled brain works to make sense of what's happening. She's barely aware of her mouth flapping open and closed like a fish.

The missing and supposedly kidnapped prince of Synchria is sitting on a chair next to her bed, smiling down at her. Because it was definitely the same boy as the one in the big painting back in the castle, even if you could easily mistake him as someone else like this. Hair that had been pulled back and braided in the portrait was left to hang free, curled around his head in a way that said he'd worn a hairstyle that way for years. The blond hair, however, sticking up in a wild way over his forehead. He was clad in comfortable looking clothes, looser with a more simple but handmade touch to them, embroidery depicting lily of the valley flowers decorating his tunic.

It was such a different image it made her already rattled head spin a little.

His face screws up in concern, head tilting to the side and_ why did the prince of a large powerful kingdom look like a puppy?_

"Does it still hurt somewhere?"

Yuzu jumps at the question, swallowing to sooth her dry throat to answer without her voice cracking. The boy seems to notice her dilemma and scrambles for the jug of water sitting beside the bed. He holds out a glass for her to drink from and Yuzu finds she has to remind herself not to drink too fast, less she chokes.

"I-I'm fine," she coughs. Head feeling more clear, she takes a moment to look at the room was she in. It looked like a medical bay, just more… cozy. There was a soft, muted light coming from the windows, the glass having a frosted look to them and sheer curtains framing them. A wooden cabinet stood against the wall closest to her, filled with jars and bottles of all shapes and sizes. On the walls was a multitude of small bouquets of dried herbs and flowers. In a corner a bit away from her, sat her sword, leaned against the wall and she breathed a small sigh of relief at the sight of the blade. She hadn't noticed before, but there was a fresh, almost earthy scent lingering in the air, just enough to be noticeable but not overbearing. As she forced herself to sit up, even as her side and shoulder protest, she notice the blanket was a familiar green, though she couldn't place where she had seen the shade before.

"Aaah you don't have to get up! You can lay down!" The prince protests, hands hovering in front of him, but not touching her, and looking alarmed. "You're still hurt really badly-"

"It's fine, I'm fine," she says through only slightly clenched teeth. The pain let up slightly when she scooted up to lean against the headboard, letting out a relieved sigh. Her hand found her side, feeling the bandages under the tunic. It wasn't the same one she'd had on before, she belatedly realised, with long sleeves and light pink in colour.

"Well, if you say so…" He draws back, still looking worried. "Your wounds aren't pretty, you know."

"They don't feel very pretty." Yuzu mutters without thinking, before freezing still as she remembers that she's still talking to the _only prince of Synchria._

He didn't seem to mind however, simply grinning at her and snickering, his whole face lighting up with the gesture. The air around him and his general demeanor didn't exactly scream royalty to Yuzu, and it was making her forget her manners. Didn't help that he was sitting cross-legged on the chair he was occupying, occasionally swaying side to side.

"They shouldn't, seeing as you fell right off a cliff."

Yuzu stiffen up at the voice, at the tell-tale faint tinkling sound behind the words, albeit slightly weaker. Head swirling to where the voice had come from, she found she had to lean around the prince.

On a similar bed laid the very witch she had been fighting with. She looked… different, without her big hat that shielded her eyes and the robust clothes she had been wearing before, now in a similar tunic to Yuzu, only blue and with no sleeves. A flash of white from her arm was shown to be bandages, going up to her shoulder. Her arms are crossed and looking at Yuzu with suspicious eyes.

Yuzu glares, opens her mouth to speak when the third member in the room made himself known again.

"Rin! You're awake!"

Yuzu jumps, having embarrassedly forgotten for a second the prince was there. He looked… relieved. Happy, that the witch was sitting up and looking sourly at them, or mostly her, chin resting on her hand.

"Rin?" she repeats.

The prince turns to her and nods, smiling. He grabs the edges of the chair he was sitting on and, without getting up, proceeds to scoot and jump backwards and closer to the foot of the beds the girls were occupying, with the occasional screech from the floor and stool legs. He didn't even un-cross his legs. It was incredibly un-princely. "Her name! Rin!"

"Don't go giving out my name to random people, idiot."

He only snickers at her words. They hadn't had any real heat behind them, exasperated maybe, but no actual annoyance. Yuzu felt like the world had tilted slightly sideways, leaving her feeling very out of place and confused.

"Um…" Yuzu starts, making the prince and witch turn to her. "Sorry but, what exactly is going on?"

The witch sighs irritably, as if her ignorance was a personal offense to her. It made Yuzu frown, annoyance spiking up, but she bit it down for now.

"What, you don't remember? You two were fighting!" the prince says, swaying slightly in his chair as he smiles. "I heard the explosion all the way from here! And when I went to check-"

"Which I specifically told you _not_ to do."

"Rin was carrying you, on her way back here." He continues as if the witch hadn't spoken at all. "It scared me, honestly! Seeing Rin so beat up, and you looked half-dead on her back. You really did a number on each other!"

His laugh sounds muffled as Yuzu's thoughts are suddenly racing wildly. Her voice starts raspy when she cuts into the prince's rambling. "'Back here'? Where is 'here'?"

The witch scoffs, not meeting her eyes. "My home."

Home. The witch's home. Homes, or even home bases, were scared for their type. People were rarely invited or brought there if there wasn't a good reason. And yet the very same one who she had been fighting had, instead of leaving her in the mountain to likely bleed out and freeze, brought her here to be patched up.

The prince doesn't seem to notice her light shock. He laughs a little. "You've both been asleep for a whole day, I was starting to get worried. So I healed you both a little."

The witch snaps her head to him so fast it makes Yuzu jump, then shiver at the glare in her eyes. This girl seriously had such a nasty look to her. "You _what."_

"Just a little!" he quickly says, waving his hands in front of him. "You were both groaning and in pain and I couldn't stand just looking anymore-"

"Then you could have left!" she snaps. "Seriously, Yugo! I've told you not to use your power too much! You know what happens if you do!"

'_Yugo?' _Yuzu blinks, eyes wide as she watches the display in front of her. _'Power?'_

The prince looks chastised, before frowning and letting out an irritated sound. "Then you shouldn't come back injured so often!" He seems to wilt a little, sinking into the chair and eyes falling to his lap. He looked guilty and it made Yuzu's stomach turn."...I get worried, you know. When you have to go and fight because of me."

The witch doesn't seem to react, but Yuzu sees the way she barely holds back a flinch, eyes flickering between icy anger and soft concern.

Then, the witch lets out a defeated sigh, and moves to slide her legs over the side of the bed and scooting down it. She reaches out a hand and, to Yuzu's surprise, gently smoothes out the blue strands. The look to her was so different, it was jarring, yet also fitting her so well.

"Sorry."

The word is spoken softly, and not very loudly. But the prince doesn't seem to mind, simply sitting up a little straighter and waving the hand away petulantly. He looked more energetic once again, smile back on his face. Yuzu feels like she was intruding on the tender moment, fidgeting in place and trying not to stare, but it was hard not to. Something about the sight made her insides squirm.

"Anyway," the witch speaks up, voice once again harsh, though not as much as before. "What shall we do with you, Miss Knight?"

Yuzu frowns, but sits up straighter. "My name is Yuzu, thank you very much. Do try to use it,_ witch_."

Topaz eyes glares at her, almost snarling. Yuzu returns the look, feeling the familiar tingle over her skin that signalled the start of a fight, remembering her weapon was behind her, just waiting to be used.

"Hey! Hey! No fighting! You're both still injured, remember?"

They both snap to the prince, who was giving them a reprimanding look. It looked silly on him and Yuzu really shouldn't think that.

The witch sinks back on the bed, head tilted back to look at the ceiling in disbelief. "What a day when _you're_ the one to scold me…"

"It happens!"

"Rarely. Wonder if I'm still unconscious."

"Um!" Yuzu finally gets out, making the other two look at her, one with surprise and the other with irritation. She turns to meet the annoyed eyes with her own firm look. "Thank you. For saving me."

The witch stills, surprise colouring her charming features. She silently looks at her for what felt like an eternity.

"You didn't need to, and had no reason," Yuzu continues, resolve slipping away under the look from those eyes. The prince stays quiet, looking back and forth between them. "I went up here into your territory, without asking permission, and we even fought. I injured you, and… and you had no reason to bring me here, or heal my wounds. So… you have my gratitude."

She even bowed her head slightly, for she was truly grateful. Yuzu wasn't sure if she would have been able to get back to town on her own, in the state she had been in. It hurt enough right now, when she had been fixed up.

The witch still stays silent. Then, with a loud sigh, she slumps on the bed, losing her straight posture and running and hand through her short, wavy hair. She mutters. "Seriously, you're making me look bad. Not that I care that much, but…"

Yuzu blinks in confusion. The prince starts to laugh, a happy sound that seemed to brighten the air around him. "I knew you weren't a bad person!"

Rin frowns at this words, opening her mouth to argue, but she's interrupted. "Rin wouldn't have brought you here if she thought you were bad."

She gives him a mean look, and it has no effect on him whatsoever, smile still in place.

"Anyway," the witch huffs, turning back to Yuzu." Frankly, you would have died out there if I hadn't brought you here. Had you landed even a little more to the left, your gut would have a hole in it."

Yuzu wince, hand instinctively going to shield her aching side.

"Lucky enough, it only tore up your side, so be thankful for that at least. Some broken bones were expected, as well as the injuries from our fight, but I wasn't the one who patched those up." She gestures to the boy next to her with her head. "This numbskull did. I only patched up your side, since it was the worst."

"Then you fainted."

"I did not faint."

"You _totally_ did."

"_Yugo."_

Yuzu's eyes shifted back and forth between them as they squabbled. It was petty and not serious at all and they both had smiles on their faces, though the witch- _Rin's,_ was smaller, more hidden, yet still present and fond in it's tilt.

These two, clearly, had spent a lot of time together. Knew each other well and was comfortable together.

It was not the kind of relationship between a captive and their kidnapper.

And Yuzu realised, with a sinking feeling, that this was the first time she had heard the prince's name. The man who had sent her on this mission had not mentioned it, not even once.

Yuzu moves to mimic Rin's position, legs sliding off the bed and looking at them both, frowning in thought. "What's actually going on here?"

She had been sent here on a mission. Now, she heavily doubted it had been as simple as it had first looked.

Yuzu folds her hands in her lap. "I'm a wandering knight. I have never been to this country before, yet they were willing to give me such an important job, claiming all their other knights and warriors had failed."

Rin's eyes narrow, but stays quiet, looking intensely at her. Yugo is giving her all his attention too, and it was a little daunting, but she continued nevertheless.

"I thought it was strange, obviously. I just stopped some thieves in the marketplace, then suddenly they're entrusting me with rescuing their only prince from the witch who had kidnapped him."

Rin huffs. "Kidnapped, huh. Well, guess that's what it would be for those vermin." Yuzu flinches at the clear hostility in Rin's voice, but the witch wasn't done. "They're free to do that, so long as they realise they're not getting him back."

Yuzu blinks, taken aback by the fire in her voice, then feels more out of the loop as Yugo smiles at her, warm and relieved. Her stomach sinks a little.

"You see, Yuzu," Yugo starts, smiling bashfully and rubbing the back of his head. "I kinda… willingly went with Rin. To come here."

Yuzu stares, until the words catch up with her brain. _"What?"_

"Because that country is a greedy hell hole that would have sucked Yugo dry off everything that was useful to them. Damn that he's a person, damn the consequences that would have on his body, all until he'd have died inside those walls and it _still wouldn't have been enough for the bastards_."

Yuzu flinches at the tone in Rin's voice, that told her in no uncertain terms the people in that castle wouldn't have lived for long if the witch ever got her hands on them.

A finger pokes the witch's cheeks, squishing it slightly and making her look quite silly coupled with the dark look on her face. "Don't get so worked up, Rin. You're gonna freeze something without meaning to again."

Rin breathes harshly through her nose, hands clenched into fists. But eventually, she relaxes once again. "Sorry."

Yugo laughs, but it wasn't quite the same cheerful sound from before. He turns to look at Yuzu again, leaning back against the back of the chair, sliding down a little on it. "I was born with a weird power," he starts, pulling at a loose string on his tunic. "No one really knows why, or how, but it's there. I can… heal people? That's the basic gist of it, though I'm not sure that's quite right. It's more like I'm removing the damage. Anyway, doing it a lot takes a lot out of me, sometimes I even collapse and sleep for days."

Yuzu stiffens, mind racing at the information. Royalty being born with mysterious powers wasn't unheard off, but _healing_…

Rin starts speaking next. "They make him heal their soldiers. And with the common folks starting to get angry and more violent at their worsening living conditions, their injuries are only increasing. Lately, they've started planning an uprising."

Yuzu sucks in a sharp breath, and the side of Rin's mouth quirks up at her reaction. "You caught on? If they do manage it, Yugo would only be made to heal the royalty's soldiers until the rebels eventually give up, or die. But, well, that's not the only reason they would want to keep him locked up…"

"You got one, right? A blue pendant?" Yugo asks, leaning forward. At Yuzu's nod, he continues. "Those things are crazy valuable, apparently. So they sell for a lot of money. I can make them, but it's hard, and tiring, and kinda hurts after a while…"

His fingers unconsciously rub at his forearms, pushing the long sleeves up, and revealing the long, thin scars on the underside. They go almost all the way up to the elbow and down to the wrist, matching white lines ones on both arms. Yuzu feels horrified and disgusted, even as Yugo doesn't look all that bothered. Rin looks ready to stab someone and it makes Yuzu feels better seeing someone with a similar reaction.

Yugo doesn't seem to notice their reactions however, and simply goes on. He gives a grin. "Me and Rin have been friends since we were kids. Met by chance once and she's come to visit me sometimes ever since. But last time…"

The smile disappears as his eyes drop down to the floor, foot brushing against the stones as his leg swings back and forth. "Like, living in the castle was kind of the worst? The absolute worst, really. I hate being royalty, and being used like a thing. Then Rin visited and I was bedridden, because I had used my powers so much and-"

"I demanded he come with me," Rin finishes for him, arms crossed over her chest. "I'd planned to do it anyway, just at a later time. But that was the last straw."

Her eyes, full of fire despite the chilly air surrounding her, cut deep into Yuzu as they looked straight at her. "Yugo is not going back there. I will not allow _anyone, _no matter who or what they are, to drag him back to that hellhole of a kingdom and to people who don't give a fuck about him."

Yuzu's fingers clench around her clothes as she tense up at the clear challenge in Rin's eyes. Daring her to object, to try and do what she came here to do. That if she were to, they would fight again, no matter how injured the witch currently was. And she wouldn't back down until one of them could no longer move.

It made respect for the witch in front of her surge forward within her. Coupled with the story the two had just shared and the small amount of time she had spent with the two, made her decision that much easier to make.

Yuzu smiles and let's a laugh escape her. The two look at her in confusion, then alarm as she pushes herself to her feet. Yugo objects loudly, flying to his feet and making his chair clatter to the floor behind him. Rin looks intense even as she staggers to her feet.

Her legs are unsteady under her, and her side burns in protest, but she ignores it.

"If you really think I'm gonna force Yugo to go back after hearing that," Yuzu says, voice loud and firm as she places her hands on her hips, "you're badly mistaken."

They both freeze, Rin moreso, and blink wide-eyed at her.

Yuzu smiles. "I may be a wanderer, but I have my own morals and values. And I would never force anyone to go back to a place that's terribly mistreating them!"

Rin looks shocked and at a loss for words. Yugo, meanwhile, seems to have recovered and is smiling widely. "Really, Yuzu?"

"Of course." She puts her hand to her chest and lowers her head. "And I would like to stay for a while, and help protect you, if you'll both allow it."

Yugo looks at her in surprise, before grinning wide and almost jumping in place in excitement. He surprises her when he grabs hold of her free hand, gripping it tightly. "You're welcome to!"

Yuzu blinks at the sudden affection, but smiles in gratitude. Yugo's hands are soft against her calloused ones, and pleasantly warm. She grips them back, making the other smile a little brighter. Yuzu feels just a bit pleased at having the reason be her, even if it was just returning a handhold.

Then Rin seems to finally snap out of her stupor. "Wait, Yugo, I haven't agreed to this yet!"

He looks at her in confusion. "It's fine, right? Yuzu's not a bad person, and it'll be fun with more people around! And you won't have to fend off every person who comes here by yourself anymore!"

"Well, that's true, but…"

"I promise I won't get in the way." Rin looks at her as she speaks. "I'll help out where I can, of course. I want to give my thanks for saving my life, as well."

Rin mull over her words, staring at her in suspicion. Her eyes glide down to where her and Yugo's hands are still connected.

A familiar teasing smirk forms on her face. What was new was the way it made Yuzu's stomach flutter and heart skip a beat. "You sure that's not the _only_ reason you wanna stay?"

Yuzu splutters, feeling heat springing up to her cheeks. "N-no! Don't get the wrong idea! There is no ulterior motive behind this!"

Ok _maybe_ there was, but it was small, and not the main reason for her sudden decision. She wouldn't let some infatuation rule her life.

But as two pairs of bright jewels, one the colour of shimmering topaz stones and the other of the clear blue sky look at her, it might turn to be untrue in the future.

Yugo grins, grabbing hold of Rin's hand and raising both of his upwards, bringing their arms with him, laughter lighting up the room and making him appear to be shining. "It's more lively already! We're gonna have so much fun!"

Yuzu laughs uncertainly as Rin sighs, but her fondness easily leaks through. They both share a look, and then a small smile.

And so, a knight and a watch was connected in a similar goal, and eventually into something more.

But for now, the prince would keep them connected, even if it was only through a handhold.


End file.
